12-1276. Leavenworth and Leavenworth county library district; creation; powers and duties of board; tax levy; budget; payments to certain libraries. (a) When used in this section:

(1) "County" means Leavenworth county;

(2) "city" means the city of Leavenworth, Kansas;

(3) "library district" means all territory located within Leavenworth county except that territory located within the corporate limits of the city of Tonganoxie and Linwood community library district No. 1 and Basehor community library district No. 2;

(4) "board" means the library board of trustees appointed pursuant to the provisions of this act;

(5) "library" means a library which serves the general public and is supported in whole or in part with tax money and shall be called the Leavenworth county library;

(6) "governing body" means the governing body of a city or the board of county commissioners of a county;

(7) "maintenance and support" means the general and usual cost and expense of operating a library.

(b) The proposition to establish a library district in Leavenworth county may be submitted to the qualified electors of the proposed library district. The proposition shall be submitted in the same manner and subject to the conditions provided in K.S.A. 12-1261.

(c) Except as provided by subsections (d) and (e), if the proposition to establish a library district is approved, the library district and board shall have the powers, duties and functions of a library district created pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1261.

(d) The board of a library district created pursuant to this section shall not have the power to issue general obligation bonds as authorized by K.S.A. 12-1270.

(e) (1) The board of a library district created pursuant to this section shall prepare, publish and approve an annual budget for the maintenance and support of the library and may levy a tax not to exceed 3 3/4 mills on all taxable tangible property in the library district. At least 10 days prior to filing the adopted budget with the county clerk, the board shall submit the budget to the governing body for review thereby.

(2) Whenever the board determines that the tax levy of 3 3/4 mills authorized by paragraph (1) is insufficient to maintain and support the library, the board shall adopt a resolution declaring it necessary to increase the annual levy by an additional amount not to exceed 1/4 mill in any one year up to a total amount which shall not exceed an amount equal to eight mills in any year.

(3) Any such resolution adopted under paragraph (2) shall state the total amount of the tax to be levied for library purposes and shall be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in the official county newspaper. Whereupon such annual levy in an amount not to exceed the amount stated in the resolution may be made for the ensuing budget year and each successive budget year unless a petition, signed by at least 5% of the qualified electors of the library district, requesting an election upon the proposition to increase the tax levy in excess of the current tax levy is filed with the county election officer within 60 days following the date of the last publication of the resolution. In the event a valid petition is filed, no such increased levy shall be made without such proposition having been submitted to and having been approved by a majority of the electors of the library district voting at an election called and held thereon. All such elections shall be called and held in the manner provided by the general bond law. Such taxes shall be levied and collected in like manner as other taxes, which levy the board shall certify, on or before August 25 of each year, to the county clerk who is hereby authorized and required to place the same on the tax roll of the county to be collected by the county treasurer and paid over by the county treasurer to the treasurer of such board.

(4) The levy authorized by this section shall not be deemed a levy of the city or county, and shall be in addition to all other levies authorized or limited by law.

(f) (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of K.S.A. 12-1266, the board shall pay annually to the city of Tonganoxie the sum of money equal to 35% of the amount of money such city has budgeted for the annual operation and maintenance of such city's library. The first such payment shall be made payable and delivered to the city on or before the 31st day of December first following approval of the creation of the district at the election conducted pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1261, and each year thereafter. Such payments shall be in lieu of annual grants such township libraries receive from the northeast Kansas library system.

(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of K.S.A. 12-1266, the board shall pay annually to Basehor community library district No. 2 the sum of money equal to 25% of the amount of money such district has budgeted for the annual operation and maintenance of such district's library. The first such payment shall be made payable and delivered to such library district on or before the 31st day of December first following approval of the creation of the district at the election conducted pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1261, and each year thereafter. Such payments shall be in lieu of annual grants such township libraries receive from the northeast Kansas library system.

(3) Subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of K.S.A. 12-1266, the board shall pay annually to Linwood community library district No. 1 the sum of money equal to 30% of the amount of money such district has budgeted for the annual operation and maintenance of such district's library. The first such payment shall be made payable and delivered to such library district on or before the 31st day of December first following approval of the creation of the district at the election conducted pursuant to K.S.A. 12-1261, and each year thereafter. Such payments shall be in lieu of annual grants such township libraries receive from the northeast Kansas library system.

History: L. 1992, ch. 133, § 12; July 1.